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Sunday, 28 February 2016

It felt like a hot Sunday - but all the men-of-means with smart phones - after much screen flicking - eventually decided that it was only around 24C on the firing line - but I was sure happy to have air con in the car. - Maybe it was humidity making me sticky.

- I needed to check one of my Stirling 'El cheapo' M20 rifles was working - I'd bought it at the right price non-operational / no magazine - but a new mag and one good wee North Canterbury gunsmith later - followed-up with a squirt of oil on the action - and bingo.

Both of my economy rifles worked properly when warmed-up - after a couple of magazines went down range. You need something like these Filipinos that you can scratch and ding without panicking eh. - While it's great to have a 3-4 thousand plus dollar long range missile launcher - every bit of grit makes the owner shiver in trepidation.

Then I shot these targets which I reckon tell a story:

I recall yet another endless online American discussion around which handgun is best for self defence 'knock-down?' - and a 'Guru' jumped in and giving pause by saying - "Get a rifle".

Saturday, 27 February 2016

Robert Eugene Bush joined the US Navy Reserve in 1944 as a 17 year old and now has a hospital named in his honour. (No known relationship to that other wealthy crowd)

Robert Bush receiving His Medal of Honor from President Truman.

After the war Robert married his childhood sweetheart Wanda Spooner and founded two multi-million dollar businesses. They had four children together and he died aged 79 in 1986.

CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Medical Corpsman with a rifle company, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands, 2 May 1945. Fearlessly braving the fury of artillery, mortar, and machinegun fire from strongly entrenched hostile positions, Bush constantly and unhesitatingly moved from one casualty to another to attend the wounded falling under the enemy's murderous barrages. As the attack passed over a ridge top, Bush was advancing to administer blood plasma to a marine officer lying wounded on the skyline when the Japanese launched a savage counterattack. In this perilously exposed position, he resolutely maintained the flow of life-giving plasma. With the bottle held high in one hand, Bush drew his pistol with the other and fired into the enemy's ranks until his ammunition was expended. Quickly seizing a discarded carbine, he trained his fire on the Japanese charging pointblank over the hill, accounting for six of the enemy despite his own serious wounds and the loss of one eye suffered during his desperate battle in defense of the helpless man. With the hostile force finally routed, he calmly disregarded his own critical condition to complete his mission, valiantly refusing medical treatment for himself until his officer patient had been evacuated, and collapsing only after attempting to walk to the battle aid station. His daring initiative, great personal valor, and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in service of others reflect great credit upon Bush and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

Friday, 26 February 2016

A mate pointed me at this historic 1979 US shooting in San Diego, California - A shooting that is likely better remembered for the song Bob Geldorf wrote about it for the Boomtown Rats ( No.1 in UK and Australia,- but only No.3 here in NZ).

Sixteen year old Brenda Ann Spencer who lived across the road from the Grover Cleveland Elimentary School, surrendered and pleaded guilty to two murders and assault with a deadly weapon (she shot and injured eight children at the school). While holed up in her home, prior to surrendering and her arrest, a reporter telephoned her and asked "why" - to which she answered "I don't like Mondays".

The Wikipedia page reports that the sixteen year old girl lived in poverty with her father - sleeping together on a single mattress on the floor surrounded by empty alcohol bottles.

Prior to the shooting she had a psychiatric evaluation requested by her Probation Officer - following an arrest for shooting out of the school windows with an air gun - but her father refused to allow her to be admitted to hospital for treatment.

A few days later her father gave her a Ruger 10/22 rim-fire rifle fitted with a telescopic sight and 500 rounds of ammunition for Christmas. - then January 29th she used that gun to commit the shootings. Spencer later said "I asked for a radio and he bought me a gun".

In prison Spencer was diagnosed and treated for epilepsy and depression - and had been found earlier to have an injury to the temporal lobe of her brain - and then again later - after self harming (when her girl friend was released from prison) she was found to be psychotic and unfit for release.

I would be interested to learn her IQ. as many US prison inmates are said to properly be found to be mentally handicapped rather than criminal.

Some thirty-seven years later it seems that she is still held in prison.

Blame it on the guns?

I have given much consideration to the condition of "anti-gunners" and their thinking. - I reckon they are simply confusing their anti-violence feelings and anti-crime wishes and blending them into a 'catch-all' ban the guns cry.

Thursday, 25 February 2016

On 21st February 'Wired' Magazine carried another media scare story - this one titled AmericasDeadly Gun Addiction By the Numbers. - the story includes various selected gun 'fact' charts.

I can't reproduce their (blocked) colourful graphics here but their own writer admits that the USA gun crime figures are NOT increasing - while US gun ownership has tripled in the last fifteen years and is still growing - and public opinion there is now more in favour of gun rights than gun restrictions.

The 'Wired' story tries to tell the usual shock-horror myth while ignoring its own facts.

I very much doubt one chart list - claiming that India has the second highest civilian gun ownership in the world. In fact much of the content in this story is suspect - including a chart showing world gun ownership by nation sourced from GUNPOLICY.ORG at the Sydney School of Public Health (which doesn't include any entry for their own nation of Australia!) - That outfit is the home of creative journalist Philip Alpers - Ooops I ought remember that he calls himself 'Adjunct Associate ProfessorPhilip Alpers -But he has no medical tertiary qualification..

- 'adjunct' means something added. We all know what associate means - as in gang associate - ex-kiwi Alpers is recognised (so he says) as "one of the Top 100 most influential people in armed violence reduction." Alpers previously claimed that he had influenced the shut down of the Australian arms industry - but seems to have missed the Small Arms Factory Lithgow currently known as Thales Group Australia.

- He, Adjunct Associate Professor, appears to be unable to access his own adopted country's firearms facts. ThalesAustralia are currently filling a 100 Million Dollar order for 30,000 new Australian F90 rifles.

Tuesday, 23 February 2016

Back on 24 September 2015 I ran the story that 'FireClean' Advanced Gun Oil was mostly just Canola cooking oil (none the worse for that as it's still rapeseed oil eh). - Buy it straight from the supermarket and you can add it to salads and cook your pan-cakes in it too.

Umm-Humm It's Tomato Time in my Glass House.

Now a further two brands of gun lubricant plus a specialist 'rollercoaster' lubricant have been identified as basically another natural oil - this time sourced from coconuts.

The minor difference in chart level relating to temperature is likely due to an 'additive' (solvent) mixed-in to help the thick coconut oil remain liquid at lower temperatures.

Three specialist lubes have been found by chemists to be coconut oil based despite having different perfumes and colour added .. FrogLube, Seal 1, and Tracklube.

These findings in no way mean that these oils do not do their job as advertised - however it is being suggested that any type synthetic motor oil from a handy container will lubricate your handguns and long arms just as well - and cost less.

While I am fully in favour of using natural based oils (as long as it's not whale oil) - especially if they are sourced from the Pacific Islands or other poorer nations - don't let us kid ourselves that this is a miracle salve to fix all malfunctions.

I have not seen these brands in kiwi gun shops - but that is understandable as I've not bought any of this stuff for years. My guns get minimal cleaning or lubrication while they continue to work as required (mostly). - My aging containers of Break Free CLP and Hoppes No9 always go to the range with me for the occasional wipe and squirt in public.

Monday, 22 February 2016

In the middle of a recent wide ranging telephone conversation - the question arose (concerning a possible imminent collapse of the financial/banking and law-and-order system) - "Which will be of most use & value? .. $1,330 worth of gold Krugerrand (one coin) - or a similar value of 9mm NATO ammunition."

Approximately. $1,330 for one?

- Maybe 7,000 Rounds?

- I suggest that perhaps we should ponder what would most interest a really hungry group - either of the above - or the same weight of potatoes / mixed grains?

A greedy corporate raider type might first go for the gold - then try to use it to corner the potato market and then deal over the ammo - but a prudent American might have some of his cartridges stored in a handy high-capacity container and be able to avoid any adverse dealing.

Here's a novel asset for you to consider - New Zealand Post will sell you a 1 ounce pure gold commemorative 'Hobbit' coin for a mere NZ$3,395 that has a face value of $10. - That's about twice the price of a 1 ounce gold ingot.

- Highly collectable so be quick before they sell out. - They are selling.(others are sold-out).

LOGISTICS:
Thoughtful types may be aware that the food 'logistics' supply chain, the power grid, the water supply grid, sewage network etc. were developed by their respective corporate bodies for the purpose of control and profit.

- These 'grids' will doubtless collapse rapidly if / when there ceases to be control & profit. - The supermarket food stores generally stock around two days worth.

We get earthquakes here in New Zealand.

You might reduce the costs of supporting their profitable enterprise now - by getting yours via your own resources - and if the SHTF scene was to happen you'd be in a better place ..

Marty K.
Anyone noticed that people being interviewed now have to say "That's a very good question" at least twice per interview. They must all be learning to talk at the same public relations seminars.

- Mind you, that's better than "Yes-No" and "Absolutely" in every sentence eh.

Sunday, 21 February 2016

American Jeb Bush who was a candidate for the Republican Party selection process - has recently been subject to mockery on-line after tweeting an image of an engraved presentation pistol:

Jeb Tweeted this photo.

Identified On-line as a FNX-45

The FN (Browning) FNX series of polymer pistols are short recoil operated - but their barrel and slide travel around twice the usual distance with barrel and slide locked before separation - when compared with other similar pistols - which results in softer felt recoil.

The 'jokers' seem to be objecting that Mr Bush titled his photograph as "America" and appear to think that other images are better - and that he should have said "USA" rather than "America".

"Whateva" - I don't know Jeb from a bar of soap - other than that some Americans think he is as thick as a brick like his ex-president brother. - But I do know that he now has at least two firearms - as Sturm Ruger gave him another one earlier in January.

Ruger Presentation To Jeb Bush.

Isn't it interesting how people who have plenty of everything seem to get given 'stuff ' by businesses - whereas poor folk wearing pre-used clothing get charged extra for 'lay-by' or payments.

FN Herstal of Belgium owns US Repeating Arms Company (Winchester) and Browning and has two production plants in USA - FN Manufacturing, Columbia South Carolina - and FNH USA, Mclean Virginia - they are pretty big in USA.

Sturm Ruger& Co - since starting in 1949 has risen to be Americas largest maker of civilian firearms - over two million per year - and from 2009-2012 was the largest seller of handguns.

Jeb Bush's family is a leading political and financial family in USA involved in investment banking, wartime business ventures and oil.. Said to be connected with Halliburton, Merrill Lynch and the CarlyleGroup with interests in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. - Do I hear echoes of "Military-Industrial Complex" ?

Friday, 19 February 2016

Two men charged with the shooting death of gang leader Tuamanako Tauhore on February 16th 2015 in the North-Eastern part of New Zealand - were decisively found Not Guilty on the grounds of self-defence. The trial started last week.

Defendant Roderick Bully Cooper claimed that he was defending the four adults and seven children in his home when he fired the "high powered rifle".

A High Court jury took less than four hours (including a lunch break) to reach their decision regarding the shooting death that occurred in rural Te Araroa - when Tauhore - who was a heavily tattooed patched gang member - arrived at the defendants home "in an agitated state" with other gang members.

The court heard recordings of the 111 calls as four different callers rang to request Police assistance and were faced with requests to provide further location details - when the operator seemed unable to locate the Te Araroa address - appearing to be confused and indecisive and was slow to pass on the emergency call to duty police.

It became clear that the centralised emergency call service is required to note a street name and house number and was unable to do so in this rural location - and that the nearest police duty officer when eventually notified of the conflict did not approach the scene but prudently established "a safe forward post" while waiting for the armed response team to arrive some hour and a half later.

The NZ Police Emergency 111 call service has been 'centralised' in recent years to increase efficiency (save money) and there are many instances now being quoted where the call operators appear to be unable to identify the emergency scene and fail to rapidly dispatch an appropriate response.

Emergency 111 Calls are initially taken by Privatised telecoms business Spark.

Many New Zealanders are concerned that tight funding of police resources is resulting in a much reduced law enforcement service here - and that our politicians and Government Ministers seem to be unwilling to address the issues as they themselves are unaffected - having plentiful security staff and police special protection services available twenty-four hours a day.

I always thought that we pay taxes specifically so that our government provides essential public services. Privatised and Corporatized services are not cutting it.

Wednesday, 17 February 2016

It seems that while Indian citizens may be licensed to own handguns or rifles /shotguns - their handguns are limited to smaller calibres below .32".

The Indian Ordnance FactoryIOF .32" Ashani semi-auto pistol looks very much like a .38" calibre Browning M1910 I read, but its' internals have more in common with the Colt M1903.IOF .32"

Ashani

Browning M1910

Colt M1903

Whatever - I know nothing! However it seems that if you can jump through all the hoops to get an Indian Firearms License and a 'No Objections Certificate' (NOC) you may after a series of long waits** take delivery or collect in person an eight shot Ashani .32" pistol - that is admitted by the manufacturer to have magazines of a weak and faulty design with unsupported feed lips! - And the magazine base is welded-on making service nearly impossible.

The 'barrel lock' design is also said to be faulty and currently understood to come from the factory Araldited in! - an improved replacement may be fitted by a gun smith. The plastic grips are also vulnerable to breaking.

The Indian on-line shooters state that as soon as you get your Ashani trot along to your nearest gun smith and have it modified so that it will work.

Now let's be clear here - we are talking about a 100 year old design being re-worked in a marginally effective but popular cartridge for civilian sales.

But this .32" ACP blow-back pistol is available bright plated or black powder coated.

The .32" ACP cartridge is also referred to as the 7.65x17mm Browning and is rather low powered with light weight 60-70gn. bullets at a velocity around 1,000ft. per sec. - but may be loaded more powerfully than the .32" S&W Long 'Nirbheek' revolver cartridge - by using expanding bullets.

.32 ACP

** A standard British joke played on naïve young apprentices is to send them to the stores to get a "long weight" ( a long wait!).

Note: You may collect your Ashani Pistol in person from the Cossipore Factory gate between 8.30 a.m to 9.00 a.m only (- when available - by prior arrangement) - or from the Chandigarh Factory every third Wednesday of the month at 09.30 a.m.

- are these people serious?

It seems to me that the three handguns built for civilian sale in India are conceptually OK - but they do remind me of the old saying "any system is only as strong as its weakest link".

Obvious shortcomings are the magazines, grips and barrel lock on the Ashani pistol - the alloy cylinder and chambers on the Nidar .22" revolver - the price and the pathetic chambering of the Titanium alloy Nirbheek in .32"S&W Long - when it could easily adapt to the excellent and well mannered .327"Federal Magnum and still meet the smaller calibre rules. (my post on .327"Federal Magnum here 24/01/2016).

The Ishapore plant is historically capable of excellent work and product - surely with attention to these important details they could produce a quality item that might even be worthy of export.

Monday, 15 February 2016

Indian revolvers? - Well it makes a change from Russian built wheel-guns eh.

The Indian arms factory at Ishapore West Bengal has a long and respected history manufacturing arms since 1904 when they commenced building Lee-Enfield .303" bolt-action rifles. - The Ishapore Rifle Factory has built many rifles including the L1A1 SLR and the Vickers-Berthier Light Machine Gun - and continues to make military arms including the Ghatak - a AKM style 7.62x39mm rifle.

Ghatak

I actually at one time owned an Ishapore Lee-Enfield rifle that had been manufactured in their plant to use the 7.62x51 NATO calibre (one that I imported from a UK arms dealer). These 2A1 rifles were built to handle the increased pressures of the 7.62x51 cartridge using stronger steel receivers, re-designed extractors, and squarer shaped magazines.

Ishapore 2A1 Reserve Rifle.

The Ishapore factory was first established way back in 1787 as a gun powder maker - gun and carriage making commenced in 1801.

The name "Nidar" refers to the nickname of the young student Jyoti Singh who died after being gang raped on a bus in Delhi in 2012.

This light-weight eight shot 'snubbie' is built using an aluminium alloy DTD5124 that is stated as being nearly as strong as steel.- Defensive carry in India would likely be problematic as many public venues are guarded by security body scanners and metal detectors - but they are reporting around 100 advance orders.

It appears that the cylinder and chambers are made from the same alloy without steel inserts (the barrel uses a steel liner) so no dry firing practice eh - or maybe no prolonged firing either.

The new 'Nidar' revolver at 250 grams weighs less than half that of their previous model - the 500 gram 'Nirbheek' - and is expected to cost much less than that larger and very expensive .32" calibre gun.

The Indian Ordnance Factory'Nirbheek' IOF.32 is based on the Webley MkIV .38 S&W revolver of 1899 - sometimes known as "The Boer War Model" ( Singapore Police Force version - with safety catch) but it is built in the smaller .32" S&W Long calibre to be legal for civilian ownership in India.

Nirbheek revolvers seem to cost around US$2,000 plus - why? - they are made of Titanium alloy.

There are lots of countries that permit firearms ownership only in non military calibres .. This must logically be to ensure that any unlawful shooting death is caused by non military sized wounds? - Consoling for the deceased eh.

- I'd like one of those (at the right price) eh.. but being designed by men for women to use - perhaps the design weaknesses were deliberate. - Why not make this gun in an effective round such as the .327Federal Magnum rather than its whimpering little brother the .32"S&W Long?

The Official web-site states that you may purchase one via an Arms Dealer or "book an order" direct from their factories - by first applying for a "prescribed application form" from them - which must be completed and accompanied with various original and photocopied documents including .. "valid arms license" and a photo copy. - Plus two copies of a 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) from the Licensing Authority.

- Probably needs to be signed by a male.

- I would have thought that if one had a "valid arms license" in ones possession - that would be a strong indication that "the Licensing Authority" had "No Objection" in the first place!

Saturday, 13 February 2016

I listened to a BBC 'Assignment' program on Thursday evening - a story about how our hero reporter went back to Libya and traced the Gaddafi 'Golden Gun' back to the baseball-cap wearing fighter who still has it. - Typically the broadcast not once identified the pistol - other than to wrongly state that the barrel was engraved.

This Guy is Named as Muhammad al Bibi

But Wishes It to Be Known That HE did Not Kill Gadaffi.

- He just Picked-up The Gun.

This Man Omran ShaabanDid Claim That He Shot Gaddafi

- He Is Reported Dead - Killed In Revenge.

A second well-known Brit reporter Andy Bloxham of The Telegraph described this High Power as "..the newer version of the Browning M1911A1 also known as the Colt 45." !

- Factually - the FN High Power while carrying the 'Browning' name was very much the result of the work of designer Dieudonne Saive at FN - who designed the staggered double row high capacity magazine and extensively revised other features after Brownings death (and the lapse of his patents).

Would it not be better if these experts might bother to research and tell the facts rather than writing a load of old bollocks that they just make-up?

Libyan leader Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al Gaddafi was chased South by rebel fighters from Sirte and bailed-out of his vehicle after his convoy suffered repeated air attacks - then was finally captured trying to hide in a drain-pipe. Said to have emerged carrying an AK in one hand and the 'golden gun' in the other he was treated roughly and killed and his body displayed for four days before being buried in the desert.

He had ruled Libya from 1969 to 2011 and seemed to have liked gold-plated guns - as he is said to have owned several others.

The pistol is Identified as a FN Browning 'High Power' Mk III 9x19mm.

The Arabic engraving is said to read "May The Sun Never Set On September"

Grip Medallion is (maybe) a Profile of Gaddafi.

- Gold Plating is Worn.

The gun has manufacturers marking "Browning Arms Company Morgan, Uta & Montreal P.Q." and was traced to a home in Misrata, Libya (also spelled Misuratah, Misratah).

Belgian manufacturer FN Herstal (Browning) is wholly owned by the Walloon Regional Government of Belgium and supplied Libya with 18Million euros worth of arms between 2004-2009.

Fighting in this area continues since before 2011 to this day between various rebel groups and ISIS forces (Daesh?). Two rival Libyan administrations have formed (in Tobruk and Tripoli) and multiple militias attempt to dominate their local areas.

Map Showing Terrorist & Rebel Fighting Areas.

What a mess.

Various sources quote from 6.5M to 33.3M people 'displaced internally'.

Thursday, 11 February 2016

Figures for England and Wales published by The Guardian for the year to September 2015 show Homicides rose 14% above the previous year (Total Deaths by Homicide 2015 were 574).

Police figures released show a 27% rise in violence against the person and a 4% rise in gun crime.

- Mind you - everybody knows that you can prove anything you want by using statistics. I would never dare to publically claim that official Government figures can be manipulated .. but I did work for the Board of Trade Retail Trade Statistics Department in Horse-guards Parade, off Whitehall, when I was younger and smarter ...

"Can we rework this months figures using a corrected set of variable seasonal factors please?"
Cynical - who - me?

The detailed application of the UKs multiple gun bans does vary by districts - but basically you need to be a member of the Titled Landed Gentry with extensive estates (or his servant) to qualify for a license to privately own and use a high power rifle.

The UKs 'lower classes' (plebs?) do still seem to find ways to attack others despite the Gun Ban laws - strange that eh.

Mind you Lord Lucan missing since 1974 has finally been declared dead so that his title and House of Lords income can now pass to the oldest son & heir - so he (being now declared deceased) can't have been actively adding further to the homicide stats.

______________

I see that the 'underclasses' are still being treated by the media to new revelations about who said what in "Plebgate":

British Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell was GovernmentChief Whip but later resigned - over stories accusing him of calling Police Officers guarding the entrance gates to Downing Street "plebs" ( - this is located off Whitehall, the centre of British Government Power).

Downing Street Security Gates - Complete with Plebs.

- I used to work just across the road.

The railings and a gate were first placed there in 1982 but the current black Security Gates were emplaced in 1989 to further restrict public access. Did you know that 'Number 10 Downing Street' (The Prime Ministers Residence) used to be numbered No. 5 ?

Note: Number 9 Downing Street is currently the Chief Whips Office but was previously part of Number 10. - The Chief Whips office used to be located at Number 12. (Don't be confused - just accept change to long standing and ancient traditions from "The Ministry of Truth"..)

19 September 2012 Mitchell was leaving Downing Street with his bicycle and became upset when police refused to open the main gate for him indicating that he should use a side gate. - What he said to them and what they said to him has assumed huge significance, - Ministerial statements, apologies, resignations, disclosed CCTV video, Libel Cases, Old Bailey prison sentences for false statements (P.C. Keith Wallis - 12 months) - on and on.

Use The Side Gate Mate.

During the libel case it was revealed that GovernmentChief Whip Mitchell had been involved in 16 previous altercations with police around Westminster.

"Plebs" is taken as being an insulting term meaning persons of low social class.. from the Latin (English usage) 'plebeian' meaning 'ordinary citizen'.

However - to be historically accurate - the 'Plebs' of ancient Rome in fact gained considerable recognition and full rights and status as 'novus homo' or "new man" - self made nobles - following very effective protest - when they walked-out saying "Run the place without us then"!

- I personally would be proud to be called a Pleb - but I am a bit of a stirrer eh.

Tuesday, 9 February 2016

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) took delivery last month of at least 20 shipping containers containing Russian military equipment believed to be 'small arms and munitions'.

Fijian Minister of Defence Timoci Natuva says the deal was signed back in 2013.

- Todays NZ media are reporting the landing of twenty Russian training instructors in Fiji from a Korean Airlines plane.

The Arms Convoy In Transit to Queen Elizabeth Barracks Delainaba

This shipment said to be worth $41.8 million may contain Kalashnikov AK101 type rifles in NATO 5.56x45mm calibre.

Kalashnikov AK101 /102.

Fijis small military consists of 3,500 active forces plus 6,000 reservists and is active within the UN Peacekeeping Forces - and keeps two Battalions deployed under UN Command in the Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Sinai, and East Timor - with a third battalion based in Fijis Capital Suva. A further three battalions are spread through their islands.

Back in 1987 when there was a military led coup in Fiji - there was speculation that the then NZ Prime Minister David Lange had wanted to send NZDF in to restore order - and had been advised strongly that such action would have been ill advised and that an invading NZ force would have had its ass badly kicked by the well trained and experienced RFMF.

Fiji is an archipelago of more than 332 islands - some 110 permanently inhabited. - Fiji has a well developed economy based on tourism, sugar cane, forestry, minerals and fisheries. - Funding payments received from the UN are also considerable.

Monday, 8 February 2016

Police Minister Judith Collins is today reported to be waiting for a report on the use of Firearm Prohibition Orders in Australia before deciding if they will be introduced here in New Zealand.

NZ Police Minister Judith Collins

This type of regulation in Australian States is usually aimed at motorcycle / criminal gangs restricting individuals movements - and allows for property searches without warrants and imposes large fines for the breach of a Prohibition Order.

This Picture Taken at An ESR Laboratory- Lead to Complaints Of Unlicensed Firearm Use

Labours Police Spokesman Stuart Nash and Police Association President Greg O'Conner both said they broadly supported such a move - but it was "piecemeal" and more in depth changes were needed.

The Police Minister is reported as confirming that there is "active consideration of a law change".

Sunday, 7 February 2016

Saturday 6th February 2016 in London there were widespread reports of gunfire from Green Park - a centrally located park.

It soon became clear that royalist supporters - members of The Royal Horse Artillery wearing incorrect period fancy dress - had dragged WWI 13-pounder field guns into the open parkland and fired the guns in a 41 Gun Salute to commemorate Elizabeth II accession to the throne in 1952.

Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha Royals (aka Mountbatten-Windsor) 1952.

(Due to Anti-German Sentiment - GeorgeV Changed The Name During WWI)

In an effort to upstage that 41 gun salute - members of the Honourable Artillery Company later fired a 62 Gun Royal Salute from Gun Wharf at The Tower of London - 21 extra - to demonstrate the citizens of The City Of London's loyalty to the Monarch.

A 'Basic' Royal Salute is 21 guns - plus 20 guns because it is fired in a Royal Park. It is known as a "Salute" because it is said to demonstrate 'friendly intent' by emptying the guns - as does the hand salute that shows ones hand is empty of any weapon.

Six Horse Gun Team Galloping Into Action

The rapid firing mobile field guns were designed to support Cavalry and have 5"8" long bores firing a 3" shell with a range of 5,400 metres at a velocity of 1,675 ft. per sec.

The 13 pounder was soon found to be ineffective against WWI prepared defensive positions and was widely replaced with 18 pounders and 4.5" howitzers.

- At this time there were no reports of damage - which confirms that the field guns who's use is not currently prevented by British gun law - were firing blanks.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- Doesn't the current debate about British membership of the EU seem a little daft - when they've had no problem accepting a European ruling family for years - since 1839 when German Francis Albert AugustusCharles Emmanuel Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha married his first cousinQueen Victoria, Empress of India and had nine children after becoming 'Prince Consort'?

- QueenVictoria had been strictly raised by her German born mother Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Marty K.P.S. A Proud Tradition of Shooting by Generations of Teutonic Royalty: